[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 56 (Tuesday, March 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15550-15551]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-06721]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2015-0019]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Importation of Peppers From Certain Central 
American Countries

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revision to and extension of approval of an information 
collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's 
intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection associated with regulations for the importation 
of peppers from certain Central American countries.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before May 
26, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0019.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2015-0019, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may 
be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-
0019 or in our reading room, which is located in

[[Page 15551]]

room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence 
Avenue SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone 
is there to help you, please call (202) 799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the importation of 
peppers from certain Central American countries, contact Mr. Juan 
(Tony) Roman, Senior Regulatory Policy Specialist, RCC, RPM, PHP, PPQ, 
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 156, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851-2242. 
For copies of more detailed information on the information collection, 
contact Mrs. Kimberly Hardy, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, 
at (301) 851-2727.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Importation of Peppers From Certain Central American 
Countries.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0274.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: The Plant Protection Act (PPA, 7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) 
authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to restrict the importation, 
entry, or interstate movement of plants, plant products, and other 
articles to prevent the introduction of plant pests, including fruit 
flies, into the United States or their dissemination within the United 
States. Regulations authorized by the PPA concerning the importation of 
fruits and vegetables into the United States from certain parts of the 
world are contained in ``Subpart--Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 CFR 
319.56-1 through 319.56-71).
    In accordance with Sec.  319.56-40, peppers from Costa Rica, El 
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama are subject to 
certain conditions before entering the United States to prevent the 
introduction of plant pests into the United States. The regulations 
require the use of information collection activities, including 
inspections by national plant protection organization (NPPO) officials 
of the country of export; a bilateral workplan; production site 
registration; fruit fly trapping, monitoring, quality control program, 
and recordkeeping; box labeling; and a phytosanitary certificate.
    When comparing the regulations to the information collection 
activities that were previously approved, we found that production site 
registration and the quality control program were omitted from the 
previous collection. By adding these activities to this information 
collection, the estimated annual number of responses per respondent has 
increased from 3,226.65 to 21,947. We also found that we overestimated 
the burden hours for recordkeeping. In addition, the estimated annual 
number of respondents has decreased from 245 to 36. As a result of 
these factors, the estimated total annual burden on respondents 
decreased from 2,999 hours to 1,929 hours.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of these information collection activities, as described, for 
an additional 3 years.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public 
(as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection. 
These comments will help us:
    (1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, through use, as appropriate, of automated, 
electronic, mechanical, and other collection technologies; e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average 0.00244 hours per response.
    Respondents: Importers, NPPOs, growers, and shippers of peppers in 
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 36.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 21,947.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 790,092.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 1,929 hours. (Due to 
averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of 
the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per 
response.)
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 18th day of March 2015.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-06721 Filed 3-23-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P